Written questions by Hollinrake.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 14 March 2025 to Question 36103 on Islamophobia, what the public appointment process will be.

The Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia working group has been established to provide government with a working definition of Anti-Muslim Hatred which is reflective of a wide range of perspectives and priorities of British Muslims. The Working Group is made up of representatives from Muslim communities, independent experts, and academics. Full membership details of the Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia Definition Working Group have been published on GOV.UK. The Government expects all holders of public office to work to the highest personal and professional standards. Further details of the Government’s public appointments process and the Governance Code of Public Appointments can be found on GOV.UK.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Answer by Lord Khan of Burnley of 13 March 2025, Official Report, House of Lords, Column 822, whether the grant funding agreement with Tell MAMA has been signed.

As with all government funding, funding to Tell MAMA is subject to grant funding agreements which are rightly kept under constant review and are subject to continued monitoring and evaluation. Following Tell MAMA’s signing of the required Grant Funding Agreement, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has made payment for the 2024/25.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2025 to Question 37213 on Local Government: Disclosure of Information, what powers she has to intervene if councils do not meet obligations under the Transparency Code.

The Local Government Transparency Code does not contain specific powers to intervene in the event of non-compliance with its requirements by authorities. It is the role of the courts to enforce the law and not ministers or government departments.

Communities and Local Government, what guidance her Department provides to local authorities on what types of decision are required to be made by (a) the council’s executive and (b) the full council.

The Local Authorities (Functions and Responsibilities) (England) Regulations 2000, as amended, set out what types of decisions are to be taken by a council’s executive, and which are to be taken by the full council. Guidance was issued in 2000 and 2001 to assist the initial implementation of executive arrangements in local authorities; we do not consider guidance is currently required to assist authorities in their operation under the Regulations.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2025 to Question 37213 on Local Government: Disclosure of Information, whether her Department has considered updating the guidance entitled Local government transparency code 2015, last updated on 29 January 2015, to enable local government data to be made available through open API or XML formats.

We are keeping the Code under review in the context of work to ensure local government is fit, legal and decent. Local authorities are expected to provide data in an open and reusable format – the Code states “Public data should be published in a format and under a licence that allows open reuse, including for commercial and research activities, in order to maximise value to the public”.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 21 March 2025 to Question 33755 on Members: Prison Sentences, whether her Department plans to change the disqualification rules for councillors in local government.

Local government members already face disqualification if they receive a custodial sentence. When a person is convicted of any offence and receives a custodial sentence, whether suspended or not, of three months or more, they are disqualified from either standing for or holding office as a local authority member for a period of five years. We consulted on necessary reforms to the local government standards regime, including proposals to reform disqualification criteria. The consultation closed on 26 February 2025, and we will respond in due course.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's press release notice entitled £2 billion new investment to support biggest boost in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation, published on 25 March 2025, on what evidential basis that press notice states that the Government's investment in social and affordable housing is the biggest in a generation.

At Spring statement, the government announced an immediate injection of £2 billion to support delivery of the biggest boost in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation and contribute to our ambitious Plan for Change milestone of building 1.5 million safe and decent homes in this Parliament. Further detail can be found in the Written Ministerial Statement made on 25 March 2025 (HCWS549).

Communities and Local Government, what information her Department holds on the level of council tax levied by (a) The Environment Agency, (b) Garden Committees, (c) Conservators, (d) Port Health Authorities, (e) Crematorium Boards and (f) Pensions Authorities in the most recent financial year for which figures are available.

The total amount of levies and special levies that have been included in the Council Tax Requirement set by local authorities in England in 2025-26 is £1.36 billion. We do not collect data that breaks this down by the levying body.

Communities and Local Government, what information her Department holds on levels of resident satisfaction with local councils.

The Local Government Association carries out a triannual survey of resident satisfaction with local government across Great Britain. The data is published and available here.

Communities and Local Government, what information her Department holds on the amount (a) budgeted for and (b) spent on housing for (i) refugees and (ii) asylum seekers by each local authority in the 2024-25 financial year; and how much has been budgeted for this purpose for the 2025-26 financial year.

The department does not hold this information to the level of detail requested. The department releases data on local authority spend through the local authority revenue expenditure and financing statistics, in which RO3 line 49 accounts for social support services or interventions for registered asylum seekers, including: supported access to health, housing or education services;language/interpreter support;providing advice and information; andaccess to legal advice. Additionally, RO3 Line 18 and RO3 Line 26 both refer to children's social care, in relation to asylum seekers. The most recent data collected by the department regarding budgeted spending on refugees and asylum seekers by local government in England is from 2024-25 and can be found here. The relevant lines within the budget publication are: RA326 Children's social care – Asylum seekers; and RA349 Social support – Asylum seeker support. The department has not yet published data for the 2025/26 financial year. The first revenue outturn release for 2024/25 will be released in September 2025.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department holds data on parish precepts levied by (a) town and (b) parish councils.

The Ministry publishes detailed statistics on the precepts set by town and parish councils each year. The 2024-25 statistics are available at this address: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-council-tax.The 2025-26 statistics are provisionally scheduled to be published on 7 May 2025. The overall average parish council precept increase for 2025-26 is 7.4% and all statistics related to the parish precept are published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/council-tax-levels-set-by-local-authorities-in-england-2025-to-2026/council-tax-levels-set-by-local-authorities-in-england-2025-to-2026#parishes-and-other-local-precepting-authorities-in-england.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has received representations from the RMT trade union on prioritising Transport for London staff members for social housing.

My Department has not received representations from the RMT trade union on prioritising Transport for London staff members for social housing.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2025 to Question 36421 on Permitted Development Rights, if she will publish the Article 4 directions in force in each local authority.

In keeping with the practice of previous administrations, Article 4 Directions which are implemented without changes are not published. In cases where the Secretary of State determines that an Article 4 Direction should be modified, decisions are published on gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of private rented sector reforms on the number of landlords requesting guarantors for new tenancies.

According to the latest English Private Landlord Survey, 21% of landlords required a guarantor for their most recent letting. The government recognises that blanket requirements for a guarantor could act as a barrier to renting for some tenants and expects landlords and agents to consider tenants’ individual circumstances when negotiating rental conditions. We are committed to monitoring the use of guarantors as part of our wider evaluation of the impact of our reforms on the private rented sector.

Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to instruct the Local Government Boundary Commission to conduct a formal assessment of the new wards and boundaries of the new unitary authorities.

My department is working closely with the Local Government Boundary Commission for England to ensure that they are involved at the appropriate time to ensure fair electoral arrangements across the area of any new unitary local authorities.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has issued guidance on including local Electoral Returning Officers within the definition of local authorities for the Re-use of Public Sector Information.

The Government has not issued guidance on including Returning Officers or Electoral Registration Officers within the definition of local authorities for the Re-use of Public Sector Information. The Government has not made an assessment of the potential merits of including Returning Officers of Electoral Registration Officers on the list of public authorities subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000. The Electoral Commission provides guidance to Returning Officers and Electoral Registration Officers, and recommends that they disclose requested information where possible, provided the information is either already in the public domain or does not include personal data.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2025 to Question 37225 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Equality, what the training provided by (a) Ernst and Young and (b) Inclusive Employers Ltd included; and whether that spending was approved (a) before or (b) after 14 May 2024.

a. Ernst and Young LLP: Disability Confident Line Manager training. Enabling managers to become more confident and knowledgeable in supporting disabled colleagues in the workplace. Spend for this training was most recently approved in October 2024.b. Inclusive Employers Ltd: Inclusion Allies Training. Providing CPD-accredited training to members of MHCLG’s Inclusion Allies network. Spend for this training was approved in October 2024.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2025 to Question 37218 on Byelaws, whether her Department has provided guidance on the application of byelaws which would ban (a) smoking and (b) vaping (i) in parks, (ii) on a highway, (iii) within the curtilage of a licensed premises’ pavement licence and (iv) in a pub garden.

Government provides guidance on the byelaw making process for local authorities. The department has not provided specific guidance on the application of byelaws which would ban (a) smoking and (b) vaping (i) in parks, (ii) on a highway, (iii) within the curtilage of a licensed premises’ pavement licence and (iv) in a pub garden.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2025 to Question 37220 on Admiralty House, what logistical support was provided.

Professional removal and cleaning services were hired and paid for personally by the Deputy Prime Minister and at no cost to the Department. As the Deputy Prime Minister was moving to an official residence, some logistical support was provided. The residence is managed and run by civil servants who were involved in arranging the move in the usual way.

Communities and Local Government, which non-civil service organisations second staff to her Department.

The organisations of current secondees in the department are: University of CambridgeHomes EnglandGreater Manchester Combined AuthorityThe Future of London Emerging Talent programme